"We have been in the government for nine years. We discussed a lot of things," he said after the meeting.

Ever since his suspension and dismissal from the party, Alagiri has been meeting leaders from parties in the NDA and Congress.

While Alagiri returned to Madurai from Chennai, Chidambaram was here en route to Sivaganga to campaign for his son Karti.

Alagiri had called on his half-sister and Rajya Sabha MP Kanimozhi in Chennai on Friday, setting off speculation on the purpose of the meeting as their supporters have been sidelined in selection of candidates for the Lok Sabha polls while Stalin's loyalists found place in the list of nominees.

The DMK had on Tuesday expelled Alagiri, son of party patriarch M Karunanidhi, for refusing to abide by the party discipline.